Carrying handle for containers



y 1960 E. 0. THEN 2,935,355

CARRYING HANDLE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

EDWARD 0. THEN WMML AT TORNEYS May 3, 1960 E. 0. THEN 2,935,355

CARRYING HANDLE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 may gumswnusixl a g INVENTOR. EDWARD 0. THEN BY M la AM @446 QZ -MM ATTORNEYS United States Patent CARRYING HANDLE FOR CONTAINERS Application August 9, 1957, Serial No. 677,384

Claims. (Cl. 294-87.2)

The present invention relates generally to devices for carrying a plurality of containersand the like and has particular reference to a carrier handle having novel horizontal and oppositely disposed rigid support members integrally produced from a portion of the handles.

In the marketing of milk in rectangular fibre containers it is often desirable to tie two or more conainers together with a surrounding fibre band, cord or wire to produce a unitary package. A handle is usually provided for the convenience of the purchaser in carrying the package. The handle usually is a separate element introduced endwise between the containers adjacent their top edges and is provided with support members to support the containers. The support members frequently are made from separate pieces which complicates the construction of the handle or are made from folded portions of the handle when the latter is made double thickness, and this increases the amount of material used and thus adds to the cost of handle.

An object of the instant invention is to overcome these difiiculties by the provision of a carrying handle having a portion set off by slits and creases which may be readily collapsed to produce oppositely disposed support members projecting laterally from the handle to support a pair of juxtaposed, tied together containers.

Another object is the provision of such a carrying handle in which the projecting support members may be readily reinforced if desired, to provide for the carrying of heavier than usual articles.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of juxtaposed containers tied toegther by a paper band for carrying as a unitary package by a handle embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the containers shown in Fig. 1, the view showing how the handle is interposed in place between the containers for carrying purposes;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a single thickness one piece blank from which the carrying handle is made;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken through the handle when in place between a pair of containers, the containers being shown in dot-and-dash lines;

Fig. 5 is a sectional perspective View as taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of a modified form of the handle shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 77 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a further modification of the handle shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view as taken substantially along a plane indicated by the lines 99 in Fig. 8.

"ice

As a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate a handle A (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) for carrying a pair of fibre milk containers B disposed in juxtaposed relation and tied together by a surrounding fibre band C. The containers B preferably are of the character disclosed in United States Patent 2,085,979 issued July 6, 1937, to John M. Hothersall on Container. Such containers comprise a rectangular body D having flat side walls E which at their upper ends are formed with necked-in portions F and an immediately adjacent outwardly or laterally projecting perpiheral end seam or ledge G which includes the peripheral edge of and secures in place a fiat top member or disc H.

In the juxtaposed relation of the containers .3, two side walls E are directly opposite each other in substantially contiguous relation and the corresponding sections of the ledges G for these side walls extend transversely of the package with their outer edges parallel and substantially coincident.

The tie band C preferably is made from a single piece of fibre material having its end portions overlapped against one side wall E of one of the containers B as shown in Fig. l. The overlapped end portions are secured together in any suitable manner, as by wire staples or adhesive interposed between the end portions, to hold the band in place and to thus tie the containers together.

. The handle A (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) preferably comprises a single thickness, one-piece, rectangular shaped carrying member 11 preferably made of heavy stiff paper, cardboard, plastic board or other bendable material. The upper portion of the member 11 is provided with an opening 12 to facilitate carrying.

Between the'opening 12 and the bottom edge of the handle, the member 11 is provided with a longitudinal row of vertically disposed and laterally spaced short slits 14 (Fig. 3) which are connected by interrupted score or crease lines extending longitudinally across the handle and thereby set off a plurality of alternate oppositely disposed collapsible areas 15, 16. The slits 14 may be disposed at an angle to the vertical if desired.

The score lines are formed in both faces or sides of the handle. On one side of the handle, the side shown in Fig. 3, the collapsible areas 15 are defined along their top and bottom edges by short crease lines 18, 19 which connect with the ends of the slits 14. On the reverse side of the handle, the collapsible areas 16 are defined along their top and bottom edges by short crease lines 21, 22 which connect with the ends of the slits 14 and which align endwise with the short crease lines 18, 19 respectively. Midway between their top and bot-tom edges, the collapsible areas 15, 16 are provided with an interrupted fold or crease line comprising lines 24 in the reverse side of the handle in the areas 15, and lines 25 in the face side of the handle (as viewed in Fig. 3) in the areas 16 Hence, when a vertical pressure is applied to the top or bottom edge .0: simultaneously to both edges of the handle A (as viewed in Fig. 3) the collapsible areas 15, 16 are compressed and collapsed so as to fold along their mid crease lines 24, 25 to provide reversely folded alternately opposed support lugs or shoulders 27, 28 of double thickness (Figs. 4 and 5) which project laterally from the member 11 preferably at right angles thereto and from both sides of the member. The reverse or inner side of each of the areas 15, 16 preferably is provided with a film of adhesive 29 which upon collapse of the areas 15, 16 is interposed between the folded section of the areas to hold them tightly together and to thus reinforce and rigid-ify the support lugs 27, 28.

When the handle A is in carrying position on the two juxtaposed containers B of the unitary package, it is disposed between the substantially coincident ledges G of the containers as shown in Fig. 4 with the loop or open portion of the. member '11- extending above-thetopssof the containers and with the oppositely disposed support lugs or elements 27, 28 disposed beneath the ledges in container supporting engagement therewith as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The lower portion of the member 11, i.e"., the portion belowthe supportlugs 27, 28 preferably extends down between the adjacent or coincident fiat. side Walls E of the two containers as shown in Figs.

2 and 4.

For extra heavy packages where it is desirable to. have extra reinforced support lugs 27, 28, a modified form.

of the invention as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be utilized. In this form of the invention an extra or added thickness band 35 of material is adhesively or otherwise secured to one face of the handle member 11 in the region of the collapsible areas 15, '16 so that when these areas are collapsed the reinforcing band will be inter= folded with the'support elements. The resulting support member 37 between the thicknesses of the folded sup-' ,port lugs; In this case the adhesive 29 on the collapsi- =ble areas 15, 16 may or may not be omitted, as desired.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore; described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: I

l. A handle for carrying a plurality of juxtaposed tied together rectangular-containers provided with laterally' projectingperipheral ledges at their top ends with portions of said ledges disposed in parallel confronting re-' lation, comprising a sheet of flexible material having a plurality of vertical slits therein disposed in spaced paral:

and said slits definingaplurality of longitudinally aligned areas disposed in the plane of said sheet, said areas being selectively foldable on said crease lines to-extend laterally outwardly in opposite directions from the opposed sides of said sheet to constitute container support lugs of double thickness for engaging beneath the aforesaid confronting peripheral ledge portions of the juxtaposed containers when said handle is-in'serted therebetween for carrying purposes.

2. The carrying handle of claim 1, wherein a film 0f adhesiveiis carried by a selected side of each ofsaid areas:

for. securing the two-thicknesses thereofttogether after folding to reinforce said support lugs. I 3. A handle for carrying a plurality oftiuxtaposed tie together rectangular containers provided with laterally projecting peripheral ledges at their top ends with portions of said ledges disposed in parallel confronting relation, comprising a fiat sheet of flexible material having a plurality of vertical slits disposed in spaced parallel .relationlongitudinal-ly thereof, parallelcrease-linesconnecting the opposite ends of said slits and an intermediate crease line intersecting said slits, all of said crease lines extending across said sheet, said crease linesand said slits de fining a plurality of longitudinally spaced and aligned folded container support lugs of double sheet thickness,

adjacent support lugs. extending laterally outwardly in opppsite directions from the opposed sides of said sheet for engaging beneath the aforesaid confronting peripheral ledge portions of the juxtaposed containers when said handle is inserted therebetween for carrying purposes.

4. The carrying handle of claim 3, wherein two sheet thicknesses of said folded support lugs are adhesively secured together to reenforce the same for the purpose described.

5. The carrying handle ofclaim 3, wherein an elongated stiffening insert member is threadedly inserted longitudinally between the two'sheet thicknesses ofsaid support lugs to reenforce the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,524,399

Krueger Jan. 27, 1925 2,162,235 Vaughn June 13, 1939 2,694,596 Greenlawet a1 Nov. 16, 1954 2,696,400 Reyna -QDec. 7, 1954'- 2,826,299 Erne'; Mar. 11, 1958 Fahrenbach May 20, 1958 

